Bowling-alley light and pin-indicator



No. 626,590. Patented June 6 I899.

G. BURKHARDT. BOWLING ALLEY LIGHT AND PIN INDICATOR.

(Applkcat (No Model.)

A TTOHNEYS,

UNiTnn STATES PATENT FFIoE.

GUSTAVE BURKHARDT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BOWLING-ALLEY LIGHT AND PIN-INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 626,590, dated June 6,1899.

Application filed November 23,1898. flerial No. 697,272. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GUSTAVE BURKHARDT, residing at Chicago, in thecounty of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and ImprovedBowling-Alley Light and Pin-Reflector, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention is in the nature of an improved appliance for reflectingthe light and indicating the set of the pins on bowling-alleys; and itprimarily seeks to provide a reflector of this character of aneconomical construction and in which the reflector-walls are so arrangedrelatively to the light that the rays thereof can be positivelyconcentrated Within a desired radius and the burner held invisible.

Another feature of my invention lies in providing a reflector of thekind stated with a supplemental portion having a triangle or pin setface shape,with light-openin gs for numerals corresponding in number andarrangement with the set of the pins of the alley, whereby the bowlercan see how every pin is numbered, so that when any pin is not properlyspotted he can readily call the number.

The invention in its specific nature comprehends certain details ofconstruction and arrangement of parts, as will be first described andthen particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspectiveView of my improved reflector. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectionthereof. Fig. 3 is an inverted plan view. Fig. at is a cross-section onthe line 4 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a cross-section of a modifiedconstruction of the same.

In its practical construction my improvement comprises an outer body orhood member 1 having a substantial conical shape, the length and 'widthof the bottom thereof depending on the character of the space over whichit is desired to spread the direct and radiating rays of the lamp orburner.

hen used for bowling-alleys, the body 1 is made elongated or ofrectangular shape, so that when properly placed over the alley it willdisseminate the light-rays transversely the width of the alley only andlengthwise of the alley to such distance as may be desired.

In the practical application of my invention I find the best results byforming the angle lines of the sides and ends of the reflector, so thatwith six reflectors the regulation length of alley can be lighted to thevery best possible advantage.

The end and side walls of the body 1 concentrate and terminate in aventilator or offtake-collar 1 to which the hood portion 2 is secured bymeans of braces 3, said hood portion 2, as will be clearly observed byreference to Fig. 3, being of a larger diameter than the collar 1 toproduce the annular air-space 4:, while the open upper end has aninwardprojecting flange 3, which laps over the ends of the centerdeflector-cone 5, suspended within the hood 3 by the transverse members3 of the braces 3, which braces also form the support for the feed orhanger pipes 6, which carries the burner or lamp 7, said pipe being heldsecure by the nuts 8, as shown.

While any style of burner may be used in connection with my form ofreflector, yet to obtain the best results I employ a \Velsbach type oflamp, so placed Within the reflector that the light or burner portion ison a plane above the bottom of the reflector, and thereby heldinvisible.

Another reason for using a \Velsbach type of burner is that by reason ofthe peculiar form of reflector the mantle is not in danger of drafts,and in consequence a f by-pass in the feed'valve can be employed toallow a small flame to burn by day as well as at night, thereby keepingthe mantle and chimney constantly Warm and ready for use at any time,thus effecting a saving of mantles and chimney.

I also provide the front portion of the reflector with a device termedan indicator for the purpose of facilitating communication between thebowler and pin-setter as to the set of the pins or the number of themleft standing after a ball has been rolled. The said indicator is in thenature of a triangular headlight 9, whose transparent face 10 isvertical, the apex of the angle being at the bottom. In this face 10there are ten sightopenings 9 which are arranged and mum beredcorresponding to the set of the pins on the alley. The plate 10 beingrendered opaque save where the numerals l to 10 are located and theinterior of the indicator being open to access of light-rays fromtheburner 7, it is apparent the'said numerals may be readily seen by thebowler; Should the latter note any inaccuracy in the spotting of thepins, he can instantly informthe setter of the fact by calling out thenumbers on the indicator which correspond to or represent the particularpins observed to be out of place. Thus if the bowler perceives themiddle pin of the third row from the front is not spotted he calls outthe number 5, whereby the setter is instantly able to recognize andcorrect the error, or if pins 2, 8, and 9 be out of place their numbersarecalled and the error corrected in the same way. Again,should pins 2,8, and 9 remain standing after the first ball and the bowler find itdifficult by reason of a dim light or defective eyesight to determinewith certainty the exact number and position of such standing pins thesetter may quickly inform him by calling out the numerals 2, 8, 9. Theside walls 9 are so placed or inclined as to aid in reflecting thelight-rays toward the face 9, and they are in turn reflected back anddownward more or less upon the alley.

In Fig. 5 is illustrated a slight modification of my invention in whicha supplemental double conical deflector 11 is added which. opposes thehood 5 and serves as means for deflecting intense beat out through theairspace between the ventilator-top and the upper end of thedeflector-body. In this form the feed-pipe is bent outward at rightangles, so as not to pass through the bottom of said deflector l1 andbent down at one side thereof, as shown. The portions 3" of the bracesextend inward and upward from the sides of the hood to which they aresecured and pass through the sides of the deflector alongside itsconical top.

While my form of deflector is more particularly adapted forbowling-alleys, it is obvious that the same, minus the pin-indicatorportion, may be readily employed for billiardtables, in which event theangles of the side neath the said deflector, the pendent, lamp,

feed-pipe which passes through said braces and reflector, and screw-nuts8, applied as shown, whereby the hood proper, the deflector, andfeed-pipe are rigidly secured together and supported in due position, asshown and described.

2. Theimprovedreflector fortenpin-alleys, comprising the conical body,the hood set thereon, the double conical deflector arranged in the hood,braces attached to the collar of the body and inner sides of the hood,and extending inward and upward alongside the under sides of thedeflector, and a pendent, lamp feed-pipe, passing through the side ofthe deflector and secured to the top thereof together with the aforesaidbraces, as shown and described.

3. The improved light-reflector for tenpinalleys, the same having aconical body which is open underneath and provided with a headlight orchamber at its front end which is open to and receives light from theinterior of the reflector, and whose face is of triangular shape, anindicating-plate therein provided with sight-openings arrangedcorresponding to the normal arrangement of pins set upon the alley, anda transparent plate placed adjacent thereto and having. corre-' spondingnumerals from 1 upward, as shown and described.

GUSTAVE BURKHARDT. WVitnesses:

G. LANGHENRY, FRANK O. ZINK.

